The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has worked with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC Ltd.) and its joint venture partners, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), TotalEnergies, and Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), to commission the 25.7km Ogbia-Nembe Road in Bayelsa State.
The N24.5 billion project links 14 settlements while navigating mangrove forests with seven bridges and five culverts. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony which held at Nembe on Monday, the Minister of the Niger Delta, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said the project was in alignment with the President’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” for sustainable development in the Niger Delta region in particular and Nigeria in general.
“This project is evidence of what good partnerships can bring to communities,” the President said, urging other oil companies to collaborate with the NNPC Ltd and the NDDC to deliver transformative projects.
Earlier in his remarks, the NNPC Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Mr. Bala Wunti, who was represented by Mr. Obinna Aralu, expressed satisfaction with the completion of the road, describing it as “a testament to the power of collaboration and shared vision”.
According to him, the road represents more than simply infrastructure because it improves the Nembe people’s quality of life overall, boosts economic activity, and facilitates smooth transit. It also represents progress, connectivity, and opportunity.
Additionally, Wunti expressed gratitude to all of the partners and stakeholders for their contributions to the project’s successful completion.
The project’s transformative impact was emphasized by Mr. Osagie Okunbor, the Managing Director of SPDC and Country Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria.
He emphasized that the project “will connect communities to the city center, boost economic activities, and reduce risks associated with river transport.” Okunbor reaffirmed Shell’s dedication to working with government organizations to deliver initiatives that benefit Nigerians and those in the Niger Delta region. Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, the NDDC’s managing director, also spoke during the event and stated that the commission was committed to finishing projects that address the communities’ pressing needs throughout the Niger Delta region.
The NDDC, NNPC Ltd., and its partners were complimented for the project by Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, who was represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
Top government officials and traditional leaders from Bayelsa State attended the historic event in large numbers. These included Sen. Asuquo Ekpeyong, the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta; Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Senu, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta; Mr. Chiedu Ebie, the chairman of the NDDC Governing Board; King Edmund Daukoru, Mingi XII, the Amayanabo of Nembe Kingdom; King Edmund Daukoru, Mingi XII; and King Dumaro Charles Owaba III, the Obanobhan of Ogbia Kingdom.
An important step forward has been reached in the continuous efforts of NNPC Limited and its partners to improve infrastructure and encourage sustainable development in the Niger Delta region with the construction and commissioning of the Ogbia-Nembe Road.